You Promised
by tobe1987
Summary: Red knows Liz called Tom. She has a decision to make. *Slow Burn Lizzington* Small spoilers for 10/22 episode
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Blacklist or it's characters.

Authors Note: This is how I am dealing with last nights episode. There are a few small spoilers. Enjoy!

Red listened as she begged him to stay on the phone. His eyes narrowed and his hands clenched at his sides. He was more angry then disappointed in her. Why would she deliberately betray his trust? Had he not done enough for her? She put the phone down, looking at it wishfully. He wanted to let her go, not for her own sake but for his. Never had he been so devoted to a woman as he is to Elizabeth Keen. All he asked for was trust and honesty in return. Something she would never give him. Turning, he left the theater to get some fresh air and compose himself until he decided what the best form of action would be.

His phone rang.

"Yeah."

"I found something."

* * *

Dembe. His friend, his confident, he was terribly hurt. Anger bubbled from inside him, it threatened everyone around him. Even her. He had hoped she would be asleep by the time he returned but that was not the case.

"There you are. Where have you been?"

Her hands on her hips as she watched him cross the stage.

"Reddington?"

"No where of your concern."

Slamming the prop door behind him, he took a breath and slid his hat off his head in one gentle motion and sat it gently on the bed. The creak behind him gave her away and he could feel her eyes on him.

"What do you want Ms. Keen."

"What's going on? What has happened?"

Her eyes showed a genuine concern, concern for herself not for him and he was sure she had forgotten all about Dembe, not once did she ask about him.

"Nothing that concerns you. I have some phone calls to make, if you don't mind." He said, motioning to the door indicating that she needed to leave.

"If this is about the cabal or the F.B.I. or me, it is my concern."

His patience was growing thin with her. He wanted to yell, he wanted to sit her down and tell her what he thought.

"It's not."

Still she didn't leave.

"Could you leave Ms. Keen? I'm not going to ask nicely again."

He saw the suspicion in her eyes. They narrowed and she stood her ground, arms now crossed over her chest in an act of defiance.

"What's going on Red? And what is all this Ms. Keen nonsense?"

"Perhaps you would like to be called Mrs. Keen still? Maybe you could be more formal to me, calling me Mr. Reddington instead of just my given name. Maybe you could go and betray my trust one more time, just one more time and see what happens. Not everyone gets second chances from me but if you want one you can have one. Unless you feel you will be safer with him."

Arms moving down to her sides she shook her head.

"What are you talking-"

"I'm talking about you calling Tom when I specifically asked you to promise not to! You are so worried about yourself I thought the threat of the F.B.I possibly bugging his phone would be enough for you to listen to me. It's obvious you could care less about my safety or anyone elses. I have tried to keep you safe, I am doing all I can to clear your name. I am. Not him. I don't ask for much in return, just loyalty. I see where your loyalties lie and if you want to go, go, I wont stop you."

He stopped and turned back towards the bed.

"Those phone calls I am about to make are in regards to Dembe, someone else you could care about. If not for you needing my help he would have been by my side and this would not have happened. So if you don't mind."

The conversation was over and Elizabeth stood there, stunned. She had no idea, how could she know about Dembe. And Tom, how did he know she had contacted him? A full minute had passed before she found the courage and the strength to move. She had to make it up to him. He was right of course, he was doing all this for her and she couldn't do the one thing he had asked of her. She wouldn't sleep that night and she doubted neither would he.

Trying to make herself comfortable on the old couch Elizabeth could hear his hushed voice as Red talked urgently on the phone. Dembe. She wondered what had happened to him. It must be serious for Reddington to be so concerned. Rolling over tears started to well in her eyes. It was her fault, he had said it was and she knew it to be true. Why didn't he just understand she can't walk away from her old life. She's not like him, a monster.

The door opened and she sat up. Red quickly brushed by her before stopping on his heel.

"I'm leaving, if you are coming with me you had better follow quickly."

She didn't say anything but stood and followed him out of the building, it was dark and the breeze was cold. A car waited for them just down the street. He gave no explanation, no comforting words, just his loyalty to her to follow.

Safe in the car, Red turned on a small television hanging from the ceiling.

"You should be interested in this."

 _"The F.B.I is granting rewards to anyone with information on the whereabouts of ex-agent Elizabeth Keen. She is considered extremely dangerous, an undercover cop being her last casualty as he was shot in the chest while trying to apprehend the fugitive and her partner, F.B.I most wanted Raymond Reddington. Do not approach her as law enforcement is asked to shoot on sit_ e."

Her picture flashed on the screen with the words "Dead or Alive".

She said nothing as Red paused the broadcast.

He looked at her for a response but there was none. So she was self-hating at the moment. That was fine with him, it showed she had a conscious of some kind. Just her following him gave him enough hope that she would make herself more aware about this war they were fighting, it wasn't just her.

"We need to leave the country. Tomorrow the plane leaves for Croatia. If you want to stay, I will make arrangements for you."

She looked at him but did not respond. She knew what he was doing. If she wanted to stay for Tom. She couldn't, she would be killed. Tom wasn't Red and Red wasn't Tom. They each gave her something she wanted, but not everything. Right now her safety was more important.

"I'm going to go with you."

"Don't make up your mind right now. You need to be sure."

She thought about it and bit her lip before responding.

"If I don't go, are you going?"

Silence, the silence of knowing he would tell her the truth but not wanting to. The battle inside.

"No. But I won't be with you anymore. I will find you a safe place and I will come if you need me but, I have things I need to take care of myself."

Dembe. It was unspoken. She wondered if he was found safe but she wasn't going to ask. Red had loyalty to few people but she trumped them all. How could she ask him to go when others needed him so badly? They were silent until they reached an apartment complex close to a small airport.

Red said something to the driver before he sped away.

"This way, room 113."

She nodded and followed like a dog to the room. It was disgusting. There was a stench she couldn't place along with the dirty dishes in the sink, the peeling and yellowed wall paper, the insect covered food on the floor. She instantly felt dirty and itchy.

"It's only for the night. I told the owner we were coming."

He stepped over the rotten food and opened the bedroom door, it was immaculate. There were two twin beds on either side of a small refrigerator. Clothes were hanging in the closet and there were numerous locks on the door.

"I need to go to make some calls. We need our departure tomorrow to go smoothly. I will be right back."

She nodded and watched as he stepped outside on the balcony, sliding the glass door behind him, sound proof. Elizabeth looked around, amazed at the room. It was actually quite beautiful, paintings on the walls, a huge flat screen up on the wall, the clothes, the food, the wine. If she believed hard enough she could think she was on vacation. Her pocket vibrated with an incoming call. Grabbing her phone she looked at the screen. TOM. Did Reddington have her phone? Did he edit the contact information she had on him? Her thumb hovered over the green circle. She just wanted to say she was okay, she missed his voice. She wouldn't tell him where she was going. Tears starting falling as she battled with herself on what to do. Her thumb hit the screen. The home screen flashed and she let out a sob.

Moving from behind her, Red took the phone gently from her hand. His expression unreadable. Sitting it on the table he took the bottle of scotch and poured some it on the device.

"Your pocket Lizzy."

She took the piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. Tom's number scribbled on it. The candle lighter turned it to ash. They met each other's gaze.

"I'm coming with you tomorrow."

"Good."


	2. Chapter 2

The darkness of the night was only broken by the illumination of Red's cell phone. He glanced briefly at a sleeping Elizabeth before answering.

"Yes?"

"You have been compromised."

The voice on the other end was from a very stern woman whose urgency made him sit up in attention. It was late, or early, whatever one it was Red was ready. He was always ready. There was some instruction from Mr. Kaplan to travel to a small town in Ohio where they would both be safe from the F.B.I. and the Cabal for a short time. Hanging up the phone he looked at the woman asleep on the other bed. She needed to trust him, sometimes it would be a matter of life and death.

Even in her sleep Lizzy looked distressed he noted. Her brow would crease as her breathing became labored. After awhile she would relax off into a deep sleep once again. Standing up Red quickly busied himself about the room, packing their bags and emptying the small refrigerator. The cell phone she had been using sat damaged on the table where he had left it. He scowled at it. She was in more danger now then ever and suddenly Tom comes back in the picture. It wasn't a coincidence. Red's instincts had never led him wrong before and he wasn't going to abandon them now. Lizzy needed him now and after it was all over if she still wanted Tom by her side then so be it.

He had waited long enough. Walking to her bed he sat on the edge and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Lizzy. It's time to move." She moved slightly, curling into the fetal position before giving a small smile. "Elizabeth."

"Hmm?"

"We need to move now our train leaves in thirty minutes."

She opened her eyes against her will and tried to wake up but she was so tired, not being able to have any real sleep in the past week. Through the grog of her subconscious she slipped her shoes on and left the apartment, gagging as soon as the stench reached her nose.

"I thought we were leaving in the morning."

"Someone has found out where we are." He said as he opened the door of a small black car, keys in the ignition. There was silence between them as he drove expertly through the quiet city to the train station. During the way Elizabeth was able to focus on what was happening, having the same questions as Red.

"Who found us?"

"I don't know. I don't know how close they are. All I know is that we need to get out of the city. This is bigger than the F.B.I., I think it is the Cabal."

He pulled the car in a parking spot a block away, leaving the keys as he found them still in the ignition. Elizabeth grabbed one of the bags and they walked the rest of the way to the station.

It was a muggy evening, Elizabeth's hair sticking up in all directions in the humidity. Her sinuses were acting up as she started sneezing.

"Hurry Elizabeth."

"I'm going as fast as I can without drawing attention to us. I'm sorry some have longer legs then others." A smirk formed on his lips at her struggle. Lucky for him, she was too far behind to see it. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Ohio."

"Ohio? What could possibly be there?"

"A rather well known member of the Cabal. He is a government official in Columbus. He is having a black tie affair for some charity as a front to meet with other members. I will send word to one of my contacts that we will be attending."

"Aren't we supposed to be running from the Cabal? Why are we going to be somewhere that is going to have members there?"

Red shrugged, opening the door for her as she walked in the sparcely populated train station.

"What are they going to do in front of everyone? Pull out a gun and start shooting? That would just be a mess."

"I'm a wanted criminal, so are you."

Red made no motion that he heard her and turned to the middle aged woman behind the glass.

"Two to Alliance Ohio please, Grace. What a beautiful name. One of my favorite songs to sing, Amazing Grace."

The woman looked up at him through the glass and at the man standing in front of her. She was a pretty woman with light brown hair tied into a neat bun, red lipstick and piercing blue eyes.

"Why thank you. You know the night shift is always the worst. You get all kinds of creeps."

"That's understandable. I'm glad to be a breath of fresh air if you will. We, are a breath of fresh air." He said motioning to Elizabeth. Grace smiled at her then back at Red.

"It's so nice to see you two so close. Your daughter looks a bit upset, are you off visiting family?"

"Yes. My dear brother is having a bad bout of cancer and he helped raise her you see. Such a hard time. We got the call this morning."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and turned so the woman couldn't see her face, and so she could watch for anyone who may be following them.

"Anyway dear Grace, how much for the tickets?"

"Would you like the flexible, value, or premium package?"

"How long is the ride?" He asked before holding up a hand. "Nevermind, it's long enough I would assume. We will take the premium. How much?"

"Three hundred and twenty dollars for the pair."

Liz looked at Red who forked over three fifty to the woman telling her to keep it. She grinned from ear to ear and went on about what an amazing person he must be and sent the two on their way.

"The train leaves in ten minutes. Let's board and find our room."

Following Red onto the train, Liz entered the small room and sat down on the chair. "You would never know it was this great from the outside."

Sitting his bag down with a huff Red looked at the cramped quarters and pulled the shade down. "It's just a train ride. Probably about ten hours or so. You should probably rest."

"I would like to be informed of what we are doing first."

Eyebrows raised, Red sat facing his companion.

"Okay Elizabeth here it is. We are traveling to Ohio. When we arrive at our stop there will be a car waiting for us. We will drive to Columbus, get a room at the hotel the event will be held at next week and hopefully do a little relaxing in the mean time."

"That's it? We wait around for a week? We can't do nothing."

"We will have plenty to do. If I remember correctly they have a professional hockey team."


End file.
